Lucrezia Barberini was an Italian noblewoman and, by marriage, Duchess of Modena. Born into the Barberini

Barberini

The Barberini are a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII...

 family, she was the last wife of Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena.

Biography

Barberini was born 24 October 1628; the eldest of five children to Taddeo Barberini

Taddeo Barberini

Taddeo Barberini was an Italian nobleman of the House of Barberini who became Prince of Palestrina and Gonfalonier of the Church; commander of the Papal Army. He was a nephew of Pope Urban VIII and brother of Cardinals Francesco Barberini and Antonio Barberini...

, Prince of Palestrina

Palestrina

Palestrina is an ancient city and comune with a population of about 18,000, in Lazio, c. 35 km east of Rome...

 and his wife Anna Colonna

Anna Colonna

Anna Colonna was an Italian noblewoman of the Colonna and Barberini families and Princess of Paliano-Biography:Colonna was born in 1601; the daughter of Filippo Colonna, Prince of Paliano and Lucrezia Tomacelli, dei signori di Galatro, and was thus Princess of Paliano.On 14 October 1627, at age...

, a daughter of Filippo Colonna

Filippo I Colonna

Filippo Colonna , Prince of Paliano, was an Italian nobleman, who was the head of the Colonna family of Rome and the hereditary Gran Connestabile at the court of Naples.-Biography:He was born at Rome...

, Prince of Paliano

Princes of Paliano

The title Duke and Prince of Paliano is borne by the head of the Colonna di Paliano family. At times the honour has been borne by several members at once...

. She was the sister of Maffeo Barberini and Cardinal Carlo Barberini

Carlo Barberini

thumb|Cardinal Carlo Barberini .Carlo Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal and member of the Barberini family. He was the grand-nephew of Maffeo Barberini and son of Taddeo Barberini .-Biography:Carlo Barberini was born 1 June 1630 in Rome...

 and the Grand-Niece of Pope Urban VIII

Pope Urban VIII

Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...

. Her uncles included three Cardinals; Francesco Barberini

Francesco Barberini (seniore)

Francesco Barberini was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. The nephew of Pope Urban VIII , he benefited immensely from the nepotism practiced by his uncle...

, Antonio Barberini

Antonio Barberini

Antonio Barberini was an Italian Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Reims, military leader, patron of the arts and a prominent member of the House of Barberini. As one of the cardinal-nephews of Pope Urban VIII and a supporter of France, he played a significant role at a number of the papal...

 and Girolamo Colonna

Girolamo Colonna

Girolamo Colonna was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and member of the noble Colonna family.-Biography:...

.

Her cousin Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna

Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna

Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna was an Italian nobleman of the Colonna family. He was the 8th Duke and Prince of Paliano and hereditary Grand Constable of the Kingdom of Naples. He was also a Knight of the Golden Fleece.-Biography:...

, Prince of Paliano, was the husband of Marie Mancini

Marie Mancini

Anna Maria Mancini was the third of the five Mancini sisters; nieces to Cardinal Mazarin who were brought to France to marry advantageously...

; nice of French First Minister Cardinal Jules Mazarin.

Marriage

On 14 October 1654 she married Francesco I d'Este, Duke of Modena and was the mother of Rinaldo d'Este who succeeded his father as Duke of Modena. The couple married in Loreto, Marche at the Basilica della Santa Casa. In many ways the marriage represented a long-overdue truce between the House of Este and the Barberini

Barberini

The Barberini are a family of the Italian nobility that rose to prominence in 17th century Rome. Their influence peaked with the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini to the papal throne in 1623, as Pope Urban VIII...

 who had taken sides against each other during the First War of Castro

Wars of Castro

The Wars of Castro is a term referring to a series of events in the mid-17th century revolving around the ancient city of Castro , which eventually resulted in the city's destruction on 2 September 1649...

. Francesco had, in fact, fought alongside his father against Taddeo Barberini's troops.

They had one son, Rinaldo d'Este, Duke of Modena, who married Charlotte of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Duchess Charlotte Felicitas of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Charlotte of Brunswick-Lüneburg was a German noblewoman. She was born into the House of Hanover and later married into the House of Este,. She was thus the Duchess of Modena by marriage. She died in childbirth...

.